Northern Mongloia on Russian/Siberian Border

Arrived finally at Lake Khovsgol and a ger looking out over the water. A man in a dinner suit and white gloves (!!!!) just came and filled our log basket which seemed a bit ominous. Weather weird - 1 minute hot and sunny, next cold and we are snuggled up in the ger with the stove lit.

But am still loving this country. It is the only place I know where we can be sitting having some food in the middle of nowhere and a man on a horse will canter up, mutter "sain bain-na uu" (hello), hunker down and join you for food. Have no idea where they appear from as you spend hours driving seeing only herds of goats, yaks, sheep and horses..... The Mongolians are the most hospitable people; everywhere we have stopped we have been offered something to eat and drink - our guide has an extended family dotted over the landscape and we always stop for a bit of a natter. As do the drivers on the road, other trucks being seen so infrequently.

Lake Khovsgol is the most silent and beautiful place - clean blue skies and crystal clear water, although I declined a swim as it only thawed out in early June and the permafrost is just metres below us!

The language is hard for us to speak - it is softly spoken, using grunts, clicks and words - lots of rolling rrrssss..... Most wear the traditional dress and are warmly wrapped up even now, in their summer, and they have the world's lowest population - 1 person per sq km - another reason to love it! Other than in UB the music is traditional and they sing all the time - to their animals, horses and even us. Mongolian throat-singing (Khoomi) is wonderful hard to describe but a style of harmonic range from deep in the larynx, throat, stomach and palate - yep, growling and whistling all at the same time - clever!

Next stop back to Ulaanbataar....

Annie x